Raheem Sterling facts for kids
Sterling with England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 8 December 1994 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Kingston, Jamaica | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches (1.72 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Winger | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Arsenal (on loan from Chelsea) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 30 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2003 | Alpha & Omega | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2010 | Queens Park Rangers | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2012 | Liverpool | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2015 | Liverpool | 95 | (18) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2022 | Manchester City | 225 | (91) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Chelsea | 59 | (14) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | → Arsenal (loan) | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | England U16 | 7 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | England U17 | 13 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | England U19 | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | England U21 | 8 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2022 | England | 82 | (20) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Raheem Shaquille Sterling (born 8 December 1994) is a professional footballer. He plays as a winger for Arsenal. He is currently on loan from Chelsea.
Sterling started his football journey at Queens Park Rangers. He then joined Liverpool in 2010. In 2014, he won the Golden Boy award, which is given to the best young player in Europe. In 2015, he moved to Manchester City for a record fee for an English player.
At Manchester City, he helped the team win many titles. This included four Premier League titles. He also won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2019. In 2022, he signed with Chelsea. He is now on loan at Arsenal. Sterling has also played for the England national team since 2012. He has played in several major tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
Raheem Sterling was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 8 December 1994. He grew up there for his first few years. His mother, Nadine Clarke, was a talented athlete. Sterling says her running style influenced his own. His father passed away when Raheem was very young.
At age five, he moved to Neasden, London, with his mother. He went to Copland School in Wembley. For three years, he attended Vernon House, a special school in Neasden.
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in Football
Sterling played for a local youth team called Alpha & Omega for four years. At age 10, he joined Queens Park Rangers as a winger. Many big clubs noticed his talent. These included Arsenal and Liverpool. His mother encouraged him to join a club away from London. This was to help him avoid negative influences.
Time at Liverpool
Liverpool signed Sterling from Queens Park Rangers in February 2010. He was just 15 years old. He first played for the club's youth team. He scored five goals in one youth game against Southend United.
On 24 March 2012, Sterling made his first team debut for Liverpool. He was 17 years and 107 days old. This made him one of the youngest players to play for the club. He scored his first senior goal for Liverpool on 20 October 2012. It was a winning goal against Reading. He became the second-youngest player to score for Liverpool.
In December 2012, Sterling signed a new contract with Liverpool. He continued to improve his skills. In the 2013–14 season, he scored his first Premier League goal of the season against Norwich City. He scored two goals against Arsenal in a big 5–1 win. He was named Liverpool's Young Player of the Year.
In the 2014–15 season, Sterling continued to shine. He scored in Liverpool's first game against Southampton. He also made his UEFA Champions League debut. In December 2014, he played his 100th game for Liverpool. He also won the Golden Boy award that year. This award recognizes the best young player in Europe.
Sterling was named Liverpool's Young Player of the Season for the second year in a row. He decided not to sign a new contract with Liverpool. This led to his move to Manchester City.
Success with Manchester City
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On 14 July 2015, Sterling joined Manchester City. It was a big transfer deal. He signed a five-year contract. He made his debut on 10 August. He scored his first goal for City against Watford. On 17 October, he scored his first career hat-trick against Bournemouth.
Under manager Pep Guardiola, Sterling became a key player. He won the Premier League Player of the Month award in August 2016. He scored many important goals for City. In the 2017–18 season, he scored 18 league goals. This was his best goal-scoring season at that time.
The 2018–19 season was very successful for Sterling. He scored his 50th Premier League goal against Arsenal. He also scored his 50th goal for Manchester City in all competitions. He helped City win a domestic treble. This means they won the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup in one season. He won several individual awards that year. These included the PFA Young Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year.
In the 2019–20 season, Sterling scored his third hat-trick of the year against West Ham. He also scored his first UEFA Champions League hat-trick against Atalanta. He ended the season with 20 Premier League goals. This was his highest tally ever. He also scored his 100th goal for City in all competitions.
In the 2020–21 season, Sterling helped City reach the Champions League final. They lost to Chelsea. In his final season, 2021–22, he scored his fifth Premier League hat-trick against Norwich City. He also joined the Premier League 100 Club.
Moving to Chelsea and Arsenal
On 13 July 2022, Sterling signed with Chelsea. He signed a five-year contract. He made his debut on 6 August. He scored his first goals for Chelsea on 27 August, scoring twice against Leicester City. He also scored his first Champions League goal for Chelsea.
In late August 2024, Sterling joined Arsenal on loan for the 2024–25 season. He scored his first goal for Arsenal in an EFL Cup match against Bolton Wanderers.
International Career
Playing for England's Youth Teams
Sterling was born in Jamaica but moved to England when he was young. He can play for both countries. He first played for England's under-16 team in 2009. He also played for the under-17 team in the 2011 U-17 World Cup. He scored a goal against Rwanda in that tournament. Later, he played for the England under-21 team.
Playing for the Senior England Team
Sterling made his debut for the senior England team on 14 November 2012. It was a friendly match against Sweden. In 2014, he was chosen for England's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
On 27 March 2015, Sterling scored his first goal for England. It was in a Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania. He was also part of the England squad for Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
In October 2018, Sterling scored two goals against Spain. This ended a long period without scoring for England. On 22 March 2019, he scored his first hat-trick for England. It was in a 5–0 win against the Czech Republic.
At UEFA Euro 2020, Sterling was a key player. He scored the winning goals against Croatia and the Czech Republic. He also scored against Germany in the knockout stage. England reached the final of the tournament.
In the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Sterling scored England's third goal in their first game. It was a 6–2 win against Iran. During the tournament, he had to return home due to a personal matter. He later rejoined the squad.
How He Plays
Sterling is known for playing as a winger. He can also play as an attacking midfielder or striker. He is praised for being able to play in different positions. He is very fast and good at dribbling. His former manager, Brendan Rodgers, said Sterling offers a "real threat" with his pace. Even though he is not very tall, he is strong. This helps him keep the ball and withstand challenges.
Football experts have praised Sterling's skills. Barcelona midfielder Xavi said Sterling was good enough to play for his club. BBC Sport described him as "very good with the potential to be outstanding." They also noted his natural speed.
Personal Life and Contributions
Sterling has a daughter named Melody Rose, born in 2012. His middle name, Shaquille, comes from his grandmother. She named him after the famous basketball player Shaquille O'Neal.
Sterling has faced racism in football. He has spoken out against it. He believes that some media coverage can "fuel racism." He has shown great strength in dealing with these challenges.
In 2017, Sterling made a large donation to help those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. In 2021, he was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This was for his work promoting racial equality in sport.
In November 2021, Sterling started his own charity. It is called the Raheem Sterling Foundation. Its goal is to "educate, empower and inspire young people." He wants to help young people prepare for the future. He hopes to help them achieve their dreams.
Sterling has a tattoo of an M16 rifle on his leg. He explained that it has a deep meaning for him. It refers to his father, who passed away when Sterling was two years old.
Sponsorships
Sterling has signed sponsorship deals with big brands. In 2012, he partnered with Nike. He appeared in advertisements for their football boots. Since 2020, he has been an ambassador for Gillette. In 2021, he signed a deal with New Balance.
Honours
Manchester City
- Premier League: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22
- FA Cup: 2018–19
- Football League Cup/EFL Cup: 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
- FA Community Shield: 2019
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2020–21
Chelsea
- EFL Cup runner-up: 2023–24
England
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2020
- UEFA Nations League third place: 2018–19
Individual
- Liverpool Young Player of the Season: 2013–14, 2014–15
- Golden Boy: 2014
- UEFA Champions League Team of the Group Stage: 2015–16
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2018–19, 2019–20
- Premier League Player of the Month: August 2016, November 2018, December 2021
- PFA Team of the Year: 2018–19 Premier League
- PFA Young Player of the Year: 2018–19
- FWA Footballer of the Year: 2018–19
- Sports Illustrated Premier League Team of the Decade: 2010–2019
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2020
Orders
Images for kids
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Sterling (right) playing for Liverpool in 2015
See also
In Spanish: Raheem Sterling para niños
